CITY OF PHILADELPHIA ISSUES MEDIA RFP
The Streets Department is issuing this RFP for the purpose of selecting a Consultant to assist with ongoing education and public relations work for its residential and commercial recycling program, litter reduction programs including the support for the Philly Spring Clean-up and AntiLitter Program, Philadelphia More Beautiful Committee (PMBC) Program and Green Schools Grant Program.
The selected Consultant will develop and manage media campaigns as needed, assist with the development and coordination of press / media events as needed, prepare artwork for various printed educational products, manage various community outreach programs supporting recycling and litter programs. With the recent world events, a focus on how to engage residents in detailed dialogue through virtual forums and media is key.
Background:
The Sanitation Division provides curbside collection services at about 540,000 locations in the City. The Sanitation Division also provides municipal cleaning services including short dump collections, mechanical street cleaning, litter basket / BigBelly collections, and special collections for various City buildings and the Philadelphia Housing Authority. The Division also operates drop-off sites so that residents can dispose of trash, recycling, bulk waste, e-waste and other items not collected curbside.
The Streets Department’s Sanitation Division proviodes recycling and trash collection services for about 540,000 households. The Sanitation Division collects about 500,000 tons per year of trash and about 85,000 tons per year of recyclable materials.
The Department has developed an ongoing litter and recycling education and outreach program which as included media buys, community outreach services, the Philly Spring Clean up and Philadelphia More Beautiful Committee (PMBC) block clean up projects, Annual PMBC Rally at the Convention Center, and Green Schools Grant Program.
Additionally, the Division uses it Streets Walkways, Education and Enforcement Program (SWEEP) unit to conduct a range of education, enforcement, and community support activities
The selected Applicant will support a number of major program initiatives utilizing various assets to procure media buys to educate the public, promote programs, design brochures, mailers and other printed materials, design, build and maintain the Department’s web site and various social media sites, provide public relations support and assist the Department’s Public Affairs Unit, and provide creative support to design and implement new and updated media campaigns to support anti-litter and recycling program initiatives.
Scope of Work:
A. Project Details
Philly Spring Clean up
The Annual Philly Spring Clean-up is a one-day event in April that involves over 750 community groups and over 14,000 volunteers. Planning typically begins in early January. Work includes management of web site assets that support the clean-up including databases of volunteers, project sites, and participating community groups. Communications to participating groups and volunteers. Work also includes development of media paid and free promoting the program and coordination with corporate partners. Creative work and printing as needed to support the program. Public relations work includes setting up media events and press releases working with Streets Public Affairs and the Mayor’s Office.
Litter Program
Work includes management of web site assets that support the clean-up programs including databases of volunteers, project sites, and participating community groups, and communications to participating groups and volunteers. Work also includes development of media paid and free promoting the program and coordination with corporate partners. Community outreach working with community groups and promoting these programs is a key aspect of the program. Creative work and printing as needed to support the program. Public relations work includes organizing media events and press releases, working with Streets Public Affairs and the Mayor’s Office. The City will continue to develop and use existing creative components of Clean PHL.
Recycling Program
The recycling program education efforts are focused on residential curbside recycling and commercial recycling as well as the municipal building recycling program. The selected Consultant will:
Create, develop and update recycling program education materials including flyers, bin labels, Water Department Bill Stuffers, interactive web-based games/information, and promotional items as needed. Create, update and develop focused media campaigns, including social media toolkits, and social media interaction feedback processes; Create/produce Public Service Announcements (PSA’s) and place with distribution outlets. Coordinate production and manage distribution of materials to support marketing efforts.
Target efforts and campaigns in residential, special collections, and commercial single & multi-family buildings. Produce other campaigns and initiatives as directed.
Public relations work includes organizing media events and press releases, working with Streets Public Affairs and the Mayor’s Office. Program branding will be consistent with existing marketing efforts.
Other Program Support
Creative and program support for the programs such as the Household Hazardous Waste Program, PMBC, and SWEEP, BigBelly Program, Streets Personnel, Transportation and Highway Division, as well as the City’s Solid Waste and Recycling Advisory Committee (SWRAC). Support can include creation of presentations, creation/posting of flyers, creation of informational signage, brochures, etc.
Other Department Support Activities
As requested other City Department’s may use this contract to support various media, community outreach, workshops, and public relations support activities. Department’s that have used this contract in the past include: Revenue, License and Inspections, and the Sustainability Office.
B. Services and Tangible Work Products Integrated into each of the primary program functional areas described above, the selected Applicant will perform the following services as directed by the Streets Department’s Sanitation Division. The overall budget for these activities will range between $500,000 and $1 million (not including Future Track Program costs). Note that these costs include media buys. All ideas to incorporate information interaction on multiple platforms; physical distancing options.
Web Site and Social Media
Maintain and develop the Department’s web site PhiladelphiaStreets.com which is hosted outside of the phila.govinfrastructure with Streets Department access for updating content as needed. This work includes all design, content development, database management, and email structure used to communicate to clean up participants and partners. This work also includes the management of the Pick it Up Philly Facebook, YouTube Channel, Twitter Account and Flicker Account, as well as the Recycling Office’s social media sites (Facebook and Twitter). It also may include assistance with the City’s on-line business recycling plan system. However, the web site hosting may be brought under phila.gov except for the Philly Spring Clean up function which would continue to operate independently. Should the website hosting transfer to phila.gov, the website hosts will work cooperatively and closely with applicable City departments to facilitate a smooth transition.
Public Relations Support
Work with Streets Public Affairs and the Mayor’s Office to prepare press release and media alert documents as well as develop and coordinate press event activities. Major events include the Annual Spring Clean-up and Block Captain Rally. Additional events are planned throughout the year to highlight recycling and cleaning initiatives.
Block Captain Rally
The Sanitation Division sponsors an Annual Block Captain Rally event at the Convention Center. About 1,200 Block Captains attend and over 40 groups have exhibits and information table for the event. The selected consultant will work with PMBC and the Department’s Public Affairs Unit to organize the Block Captain Rally coordinate the sign up of groups for the exhibit area, arrange for accommodations at the Convention Center including set up for the event area, workshop areas and provision of lunch for the event, coordination of media activities raffle prizes for Block Captains, coordination of public relations activities and presentations. The selected contractor will act as a pass through for Convention Center costs.
America Recycles Day
The Department, primarily through the Recycling Office, recognizes America Recycles Day, a nation-wide event held each November. The recognition typically includes organization of a media event, coordination among program partners, press releases, Mayoral proclamations and City Council Resolutions, and related events such as the opening of new recycling centers and bin distributions.
Earth Day
In April 2019, the City agreed to a new recycling contract that included standards for recycling contamination reduction. Earth Day was celebrated along with the contract signing with a massive recycling bin giveaway and in 2020 by social media blitz of new Recycling education campaign materials.
Community Outreach
A range of tactics are used for community outreach to build support for programs and inform the public about Sanitation Division actives. These activities have included door to door canvassing, attending community meetings, City Council community meetings, Police District community meetings and special events, and coordinating community summits. Newsletter, email, blog and other physically distant means must be employed. The selected Consultant must develop relationships with the Sanitation’s Division’s community partners to build and expand support for its Recycling and Pick it Up Philly programs. This work is Coordinated with SWEEP, PMBC, Philly Rising and the Division’s networks of community organizations.
Creative
The selected Consultant will maintain and develop existing products used for its recycling education flyer, Water Department bill stuffers, and Pick it Up Philly materials. The Department plans to continue using these products and to maintain consistent branding. New products for the web site, print distribution, and advertising campaigns will be developed as needed.
Advertising / Media Buys Media buys range in scope from $15,000 to $500,000. Media used has been primarily transit advertising, radio advertising, interactive web-based advertising with a minor distribution to print media. Television ad campaigns have been used to launch major program element such as a change in recycling collections.
Due Date:
June 19, 2020.
Address:
Agencies worth considering for this assignment include Hunter PR and Shift Communications.
